Compare hair products
Your guide to getting amazing locks with 2012’s best hair products
Our hair is our crowning glory, isn’t it ladies? So it’s no wonder we spend so much on cleaning,
cleansing, moisturizing, colouring, conditioning, straightening, curling, drying and preening – phew! Luckily for you, here at Cafe La Moda we totally understand, so we’ve brought you the biggest selection of hair products online a girl could dream of.
Have a look at our guide to buying hair products in 2012 before heading over to our shopping pages where our comparison tables and filters help you find the best deals and latest offers, which means you get cheap hair products and the UK’s biggest beauty brands at amazing prices. Make sure to read the reviews on independent retailers’ sites to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your money and get buying! Gorgeous hair is just a click away!
Hair products: styling
Hair dryers If your hair’s anything like ours, leave it to dry naturally and you end up looking like you’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards. Multiple times. A hairdryer saves us from this fate by calming our wayward tresses and teasing them into a semblance of normality. Dryers work by circulating air through the hair.
Curlers/wavers There’s nothing more gorgeous than a big head of bouncing curls, which is why we
can’t live without our curlers. Whether you’re looking for tight ringlet curls for a head-turning look, or softer, beachy waves for a more natural approach, curlers and wavers are the easiest way to achieve this ultra-glam look.
Hair straighteners Oh, hair straighteners, it’s hard to imagine life without you. You’ve saved us from all sorts of bad hair days and as such, we’ve crowned you a girl’s - and a guy’s! - best friend. Hair straighteners work to flatten the hair an straighten out any curls or kinks to create a gorgeous poker straight look. Many straighteners can also be used to curl hair or create beachy waves.
Volumisers Volumising brushes work to add volume to wet hair as you dry. Combining the blow dry
and round brush method of drying hair, this revolutionary number makes it 10 times easier to achieve that salon look at home. Hair looks shiny, healthy and bouncy and it alleviates that annoying ‘I’ve just blow dried my hair’ arm ache.
Tips for buying hair stylers online:
- Ceramic beauty and hair products work to distribute heat around the hair, creating a gorgeously glossy look. This is a great option if you have frizzy, brittle or damaged hair; the plates on straighteners glide easily and smoothly through the hair whereas dryers will lessen the damage to hair distributing heat evenly.
- Ionic hair products release balancing ions to protect and moisturise the hair and enhance shininess whilst combatting frizz and static. This is a good choice for brittle or chemically processed hair.
- Heat and speed: the best hair products will have multiple heat and speed settings, allowing you to vary the heat or speed you’re using on your hair; damaged and fine hair will only need a low or medium heat whereas curly or thick hair may need a higher setting.
- Shop for hair straighteners with the following basic features: a ready light indicator, an automatic off switch to avoid burning or electrical issues if you forget to turn off your hair straighteners, and a heat resistant handle.
- Small curlers work best in short and thin hair whereas longer and thick hair will need a bigger tong.
- Smaller tongs will provide a tight, ringlet curl whereas a big tong will create beachy, natural waves and curls. Which you choose is up to you!
Hair products: brushes
Vent brush Classic vent brushes allow for good airflow meaning your hair dries faster and easier than 
other brushes. Air can circulate through your strands of hair meaning that you get an oomph of Beyonce-worthy volume too.
Round brush Round brushes are amazing for creating salon-style hair at home, and if you can master the tricky art of blow drying with it then you’ll have gorgeous, glossy and volumised locks that would make Jennifer Aniston proud. When you compare round brushes remember the bigger your hair the bigger your brush should be.
Cushioned brush Cushioned brushes’ bristles and cushion are designed to collapse when they meet resistance which makes them the perfect option if your hair is coarse or damaged as they prevent the hair from splitting or snapping.
Comb Combs are ideal for brushing your hair when wet as they cause less damage to the hair. This is especially important after washing your hair as this is when it’s most delicate and prone to breaking.
Tips for choosing and using hairbrushes:
- Always use a comb on wet hair
- Most brushes should have round plastic balls on the end of bristles to stop them scratching and irritating your scalp.
- Expensive names don’t always produce the best brushes. Whilst a Denman or Mason Pearson brush is a worthwhile investment that will see you through years to come, cheap brands can also produce fantastic products.
- Pure bristle brushes are brilliant for encouraging your hair to produce natural oils to feed the hair.
- Ceramic brushes should be your number. 1 choice if you’re looking for a brush to help with blow drying your hair.
- Don’t tug at your hair as you brush, instead start from the bottom of your hair and slowly and gently untangle.
Hair products: care
Shampoo It’s one of the most basic elements of our beauty routine but we often don’t even consider 
what we’re putting on our hair and just grab for the first thing we find in the shower. But, ladies, it’s time to start thinking about what you’re putting in your hair; shampoo is an important step in keeping your hair in tip-top condition and you should look for one that complements your hair type.
Conditioner Conditioner helps to keep your strands healthy after washing.
You’ve essentially stripped your hair of all oils and moisture by shampooing it and conditioner helps to restore these, leaving your hair soft, shiny and more manageable. Concentrate on the ends of your hair and use sparingly on your roots to avoid that greasy look.
Hair colourants Hair dyes and colourants are a cheap and easy way to transform your hair at home. We love that feeling of newly-coloured hair and, as completely indecisive beauty junkies, we love to experiment with new hair colours as often as we can, be it a semi-permanent or permanent colour.
How to choose the right hair care products for your hair type:
For fine hair Try to avoid creamy and overly heavy shampoos as these will weigh down your hair. Look for hair products online that contain panthenol as this will help to thicken your hair and use dry shampoo or styling powder to add life to your hair. Specially-created thickening or volumising ranges are perfect for you as they will help to boost volume and thickness. When it comes to conditioning use only on the ends to avoid weighing down the hair at the roots. Spray leave-in conditioners are perfect for your hair.
For dry and damaged hair overprocessed and damaged hair needs all the moisture it can get. Choose creamy formulas over clear shampoos and condition every single time you wash your hair. Use a leave in conditioner and use a comb whenever you can instead of a brush.
For oily and lank hair Look out for shampoos and conditioners specially created for oily hair that contain astringent herbs and citrus extracts. These help to break up excess oil and thoroughly cleanse the hair. If you have dry ends but oily roots your hair may simply have a build up of product. A good clarifying shampoo will deeply cleanse your hair and get rid of all that build up.